Cuisine at Coburn's worth the wait - Moderately-priced elegant dishes place this pub in a class all its own

I have to admit that I ended up at Coburn's Tavern and Grill by default. My friend came in to town to visit this weekend from D.C., and I'd promised to take her to Nacho Mama's, where she could feast on the infamous hubcap margarita and some of Baltimore's best Mexican food in one quirky little restaurant. However, we arrived there at 8:30 p.m. on a Friday to find an exhausted and unpleasant hostess and a 1.5 hour wait.

Luckily, being in Canton Square, the area is lively and the night was not lost. One block over from Nacho Mama's (2907 O'Donnell St.), and we found Coburn's Tavern (2921 O'Donnell St.) This corner brick pub was hopping, too, but we were seated right away at the last table in the upstairs dining room. Nacho Mama's may have Mexican music, popular nachos and a life-size Elvis out front, but Coburn's is twice as big, with a rich and lively Irish pub atmosphere of its own.

There is a full bar serving the dining room on each floor. Tucked at a heavy wooden table in the corner of the dining room, we surveyed a lively crowd of single couples and of young professionals. We couldn't believe our luck. We were starving.

Initially disappointed to pass up the Mexican food that we'd been anticipating all night, we took one look at Coburn's extensive menu and life started looking up again. Prices were reasonable, but this was not your typical pub fare. From skewered tuna appetizers to sweet sherry-laced crab bisque to hand-tossed seafood pizzas, this was gourmet quality dining. We would confirm this later with a glorious meal (despite an experience heavily tainted by a scatterbrained waitress who tended to overlook our table -- more on that later).

We were so impressed by the menu that it took us a while to decide. In the ecstasy of a bleu cheese lover, I decided on the Black and Bleu Salad, a huge plate of mixed field greens tossed with sliced peaches, candied walnuts, sundried tomatoes, crumbled bleu cheese and Cajun grilled chicken with a raspberry vinaigrette -- all that for $9 flat. My friend chose the Blackened Chicken Caesar Wrap, which rolled together grilled chicken breast, romaine lettuce and croutons in their signature Caesar dressing -- all that for $8. The rest of the menu ran the gamut from fajita salads to lobster tail and from steak salads to grilled salmon.

The one problem with our lovely corner table was that we got lost in the shuffle between waitresses. Each of the girls who passed by thought that the other had already begun to serve us.

Thirty (hungry) minutes had passed by the time we got their attention. Our waitress apologized profusely and ran to bring us some rolls, so we waved it off, but we had to remind her to bring us silverware and drinks.

Momentarily appeased, we surveyed the warm wooden dining room and nibbled on seasoned rolls and sweet butter as we waited for drinks. At $7 per glass, even our Parisian study-abroad love for wine couldn't bring us to order a glass, but we settled for $3.50 mixed drinks which were fabulous when they came 10 minutes later. The full bar on both floors runs smoothly and is well-stocked. Our vodka tonics were large and expertly made.

As for the food, timeliness was a different story. We waited an hour, and our waitress, who had been so accommodating, began avoiding us. We willed for our food to be bad so that we could write off the whole experience as terrible. It wasn't as if we'd ordered a well-done steak -- how long could a salad take?

Unfortunately, when the food arrived, it surpassed our greatest expectations. Maybe we were just hungry, but honestly, it was amazing.

My salad was enormous, fresh and topped with huge slices of moist, well-seasoned grilled chicken. The peaches and candied walnuts were a delightful surprise and the raspberry vinaigrette complemented the unique unity of ingredients. My friend's wrap was large and beautifully presented on a plate of fruit and vegetables. We ate our fill and couldn't finish our plates.

Between the menu, the drinks, the prices and the welcoming ambience (except maybe our waitress), Coburn's has even more to offer than we could fit in that evening. Daily lunch specials are only $5 and their breakfast menu features a mouthwatering and hearty selection of gourmet eggs, omelets, pancakes and specialty French toast.

Coburn's also knows how to run Happy Hour, with daily specials 3-6 p.m. that rival the best in town: brick oven pizzas, $1 domestic bottles, $1 lite and Yuengling drafts, and $2 rail drinks.

To complement your weekend brunch, they extend their drink specials 8 a.m. -- 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday to feature $2.50 Mimosa's, Screwdriver's and a Create-your-own Bloody Mary bar. Tell me that isn't one-of-a-kind.